Not Your Hero
by Cobalt Dreams
Summary: Hades has never been particularly fond of the Olympians and tries to avoid them as much as possible. Unfortunately, they don't care about what he wants; in fact, several Olympians seem determined to irritate him as much as possible. He may or may not start to enjoy it...
1. Chapter 1

_"I'm not the devil but I won't be your hero." -_Stone Sour, _Absolute Zero _

* * *

It was a dark day. Stormy. Too stormy.

He scowled upwards, hating the sight of the black clouds swirling in exotic patterns across the sky.

Those clouds, bringing to Greece the first storm of the season, stood for everything he despised. They stood for power. They stood for absolute authority and unerring judgment. They were the symbol of his youngest brother, Zeus, the king of the heavens. They were the mark of everything that Zeus had stolen from him so long ago.

With a deep sigh, Lord Hades tore his eyes away from the angry sky and gazed straight ahead. Mount Olympus was visible far in the distance, an imposing sight to the thousands of people who believed that twelve powerful gods resided there.

To Hades, it was not imposing. In fact, it was nothing short of irritating. _He _should be living there. _He _should be ruling over the gods and people. Instead, he was shunned away in the Underworld with only monsters and the souls of the dead for company.

He was, of course, allowed to surface and spend time at his brother's grand palace in Heaven. It was bitterness that kept him away from his family. Years had passed since the Titans had been conquered, and still Hades could not let go of the grudge that he had held for so long. After everything he had done for the Olympians in the ten-year-war, _this _is what he got: rule of the Underworld. And for what reason? He was the oldest brother, older than Poseidon and Zeus. He had fought ferociously in the war, perhaps more so than any of his siblings. He deserved a better position than this.

Hades was torn out of his darks thoughts by the sound of beating wings. Glancing to the side, he came face-to-face with one of the most recent products of Zeus's many affairs. His name was Hermes, and because he was the messenger of both Olympus and the Underworld, Hades saw more of him than the rest of his family put together—which, Hades, thought, was unfortunate. As far as he was concerned, Hermes was nothing more than an annoying brat with a sharp mind that sometimes proved to be useful.

"Hades," Hermes greeted him in a tone that was far too cheerful. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"_Lord _Hades," the old god corrected him through gritted teeth. "You will refer to me as _Lord. _I may be cooped away in that wretched realm, but I am still a king, and you will not forget it."

To his irritation, Hermes merely winked at him. _Winked. _"As you wish, _my Lord._"

There was a pause, during why Hades silently fumed about the brat's insolence, and Hermes smirked at him as though he knew _exactly _what the other was thinking.

Then Hermes spoke up again. "I have a message for you. Father Zeus would like me to tell you that he is holding a gathering for the family at the palace in seven days. He requests your presence there."

Hades had always thought that the messenger had an annoying voice, but the buoyant, bubbly tone he used to deliver this message was almost too much to take.

"And _what, _exactly, is this gathering for?" Hades ground out.

Hermes shot him a sly grin. "He didn't say. Maybe he wants an excuse to get you out of that gloomy place you call a home."

"And whose fault is it that I have to call it my home?" Hades snapped. "You can tell him that I'm not coming. I have no desire to spend any longer than necessary with my brother and his little brats."

Hermes showed no reaction to the slight. "You could at least come see Poseidon and your sisters."

Hades let out a derisive snort. "What makes you think I want to see any of them?"

Hermes shrugged, smiling. "I never said that I thought you want to. Regardless, you're _going _to. Father said that you don't have a choice."

Hades had a strong urge to wipe the smile off the imp's face, and he gnashed his teeth together harder than ever. _"Fine," _he hissed.

The lord of the dead only got a fleeting glimpse of the triumphant expression on Hermes' face before he disappeared into thin air.

* * *

Seven days was not long at all. Especially not to a god who was thousands of years old.

The evening of the so-called _gathering _found Hades standing in front of a large sheet of highly-polished silver, glowering at his own reflection. His chiton was dark blue, almost black. He ran his fingers over the metal belt around his waist, a symbol of his high status. The chlamys draped over his right shoulder was violet, and his black hair tumbled freely down his back. He knew he looked regal. It wasn't an accident.

An imposing appearance commands respect.

He turned away from his reflection, tired of his own icy expression. If he had to go to this gathering, he was going to get it over with as soon as possible.

In less than a second, he had vanished from his palace in the Underworld and appeared at the gates of the palace at Olympus, the not-so-humble abode of the gods. Torches cast pools of dancing light across the marble walkways, illuminating the way to the Great Hall. Hades stalked through the gates, not paying the Horae, who were guarding the entrance, any attention.

His chiton and chlamys billowed around him, for it was an unusually breezy night in Olympus, where the weather was usually perfect and windless. Nothing but the best for Zeus and his precious family.

His scowl deepened.

Servants were bustling about, rushing to and from the kitchen, and carrying trays laden with food and drink. Rich laughter could be heard, echoing through the dark night. Hades wondered how many people had been invited to this "family" gathering. While Hades considered family to be only his immediate relatives, he wouldn't put it past Zeus to include every aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, and cousin of the Olympians.

Indeed, when he finally slipped through the doors leading to the Great Hall, he found himself at the edge of a massive crowd. It seemed that his brother had not just invited the extended family, but everyone with any remote connection to the Olympian gods.

"Hades!" a jovial voice exclaimed not a minute after he had walked in.

The disgruntled god's eyes landed on Hermes, who was shoving someone that Hades did not recognize out of the way in an attempt to reach his uncle.

"How many times do I have to tell you to address me as _Lord_?" Hades hissed when the messenger finally succeeded in breaking free from the crowd.

"At least once more," Hermes said with a grin that seemed impossibly big. It was amazing how the young god managed to show every single one of his teeth with just one smile.

Hades decided to let it drop for now. He had other things to focus on at the moment. "This doesn't look like a 'family gathering'," he said darkly, glaring at anyone who dared to look in his direction.

"Oh, they're all related to us in some way," Hermes said as he beamed at a nymph who had just waved at him.

"If I've never met someone before, they do not count as my family," Hades said, narrowing his dark eyes at the same nymph, "no matter how closely we are related."

Hermes turned his clever eyes back to Hades, brushing his black hair off his forehead. "I'm inclined to agree with you," he admitted, and Hades saw that he looked faintly amused. "It _was _supposed to be a small gathering – but then Dionysus got involved, and you know how he is."

The king's lip curled. Dionysus was the youngest Olympian, the last to join the pantheon. He was also arguably the most irritating of all. After he had met Hermes for the first time, Hades had been sure that he would never come across a more annoying person. But then Dionysus had come along, and Hades had been proven wrong.

Perhaps the youngest Olympian would be less infuriating if he wasn't constantly under the influence of wine. No one had ever had the chance to find out.

Hermes opened his mouth to continue speaking, but didn't get the chance because at that exact moment a voice boomed "Hades!"

Hades groaned inwardly and turned to face his youngest brother.

Hades and Zeus looked nothing alike. Zeus's hair was so blond that it almost looked white, and his eyes were blue beneath his thick lashes—the exact opposite of his brother's, whose were dark brown. Their only similarities were the high cheekbones that seemed to run in their family and their talent for looking majestic and imposing.

"Zeus," Hades muttered his greeting.

Zeus was not put off by his older brother's less-than-amiable attitude. "I take it you got my message," he said brightly, patting Hades on the shoulder.

"Obviously."

"I thought it would be good for the family to get together," Zeus went on, looking around the room with a merry expression.

Hades gave him a disgusted look. It was no secret where Hermes had inherited his good cheer. "It will be interesting to see if the evening ends in maiming and killing, as it usually does after these 'family get-togethers' that you so enjoy."

Zeus's deep laughter rumbled through the room. "I've always loved your sense of humor, brother," he chortled.

Hermes, who was watching the exchange between his father and uncle, smirked.

"So how is life in Erebus treating you?" Zeus then asked as he accepted a goblet of nectar from a servant who had appeared at his elbow.

"It's as wonderfully gloomy as ever," Hades said dryly, wishing that he could be anywhere but here.

"Excellent," Zeus said happily, and Hades scowled as Hermes stifled his laughter. "You're looking well, you know."

Hades raised a dark eyebrow, knowing that his brother couldn't be serious. His unhealthily pale complexion didn't really qualify as "looking well", but it was the unavoidable result of rarely venturing out of his palace. He knew that he must look more ghostly than usual standing next to Hermes, whose olive-colored skin had the healthy glow of the Mediterranean people, and Zeus, who was lightly tanned. "Thank you," he said anyway, not meaning it.

Zeus beamed at him. "Well, I must be off. More people to greet, you know." And with that, he turned on his heel and strode away. Hades shot a disdainful expression at his back before turning back to Hermes.

"Don't you have anyone else to annoy?" he snapped at the brat.

"Sure, but none of them are as fun as you," Hermes said matter-of-factly.

Before Hades could threaten to rip his tongue out if he didn't shove off, two more people that he had no desire to see stepped out of the crowd.

"There you are," one of them said to Hermes, sounding exasperated. "I've been looking everywhere for you." His name was Apollon, and he was the most favored of Zeus's many sons. Whether it was for his many talents, his brilliance, or his good looks, Hades wasn't sure. Nor did he care.

"Well, congratulations! You found me!" Hermes said jokingly.

Apollon scowled at him. Hades knew that he found the messenger as annoying as he himself did. For that reason, Hades had a tiny amount of respect for him. Still, he found Apollon's tendencies to be a huge overachiever and know-it-all hard to handle-not to mention the fact that Apollon was a healer who went out of his way to save people from early deaths. His chivalrous acts kept a large number of people from becoming subjects in the realm of the dead, and Hades didn't appreciate it.

"Maybe we should play hide-and-seek," the second person said from over Apollon's shoulder. He was wearing a stupid grin. "Then we could find you over and over and over again!"

"What a good idea, Dionysus," Hades said sarcastically. "I have a better idea, though. Why don't _you _go hide, and we'll come find you after a thousand years?"

"That doesn't sound like fun," Dionysus argued, and Hades and Apollon both shot him exasperated expressions that looked strikingly similar.

Hermes snickered before finally asking, "What did you need me for, Apollon?"

"I've been meaning to ask if you ever delivered my message to Melpomene. I invited her, but I haven't seen her all night."

Hermes frowned slightly and scratched his head. "Ummm…yeah, I did, come to think of it. Quite a while ago, actually."

Apollon gave a small sigh. "She probably didn't feel like coming."

Hermes wrinkled his nose. "I don't know why you like her so much, anyway. She's _weird._"

"She is not _weird_," Apollon snapped.

Hades glanced from Apollon's annoyed face to Hermes' stubborn expression and rolled his eyes. "This sounds like a conversation that I will _never _be interested in," he muttered before walking away.

To his annoyance, Dionysus followed him, teetering slightly. When Hades whirled around to glare at him, the young god merely smiled, wrapping his purple cloak more tightly around his body.

Hades had only met Dionysus a couple of time, and both meetings had been brief. Now he saw that the youngest Olympian was strikingly beautiful, perhaps more so than Apollon and his sister, Aphrodite. If Hades had merely glanced at him, he might have thought him a girl. His dark hair, chestnut brown, fell to his shoulders in waves and hung against his pale cheeks. A lopsided crown of ivy rested on his head, and his eyes swirled with different shades of purple. His face had a slightly dazed expression on it, and as he looked back at Hades, he appeared slightly confused.

"Why are you following me?" Hades asked curtly.

Dionysus tilted his head, and the ivy crown slipped off and fell to the floor. He didn't bother to pick it up. "You look unhappy," he said simply.

"Maybe that's because you're _following me_," Hades snarled. "Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you."

Dionysus shook his head but the action seemed to throw him off balance—he began to stumble. Out of reflex, Hades reached out a hand and grabbed him by the arm to steady him. _"You idiot,_" he hissed, fully aware that the crowd around them was now looking on with amusement. "You should go to bed and _stay there!_"

To his horror, Dionysus merely chuckled and leaned against the older god's side. "I don't want to go to bed. I'm having fun! You should have fun too."

Hades resisted the urge to shove him away in disgust. Dionysus would only fall over if he were to do so, which would attract more attention.

"I don't need to have _fun_," he said instead, pronouncing the last word like it left a foul taste in his mouth. "What I need to do is get away from _you _and this ridiculous party."

With that said, he swiftly stepped away from Dionysus, leaving the young god teetering in the middle of the crowd, looking very much like a lost puppy.

_I hate my family _was his last sour thought before he left Olympus in favor of his dark and silent palace in the Underworld.

* * *

_To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Many thanks to those of you that reviewed. :) This chapter is merely a take on the story of Hades and Herakles (Hercules). I'm still trying to figure out exactly where I want to go with this story, so I'm biding my time at the moment. I apologize for the lack of plot development. I'm also sorry for any mistakes. **

* * *

Hades leaned over a fresh sheet of papyrus with his eyebrows furrowed; he despised having to write letters, but it was better than going to see his brother in person.

He tapped his reed pen against the desk before sighing and dipping it into a jar of ink.

The tip had barely touched the sheet when someone appeared in the room. "What is it, Charon?" Hades growled without raising his head.

"My Lord," Charon began, and Hades was surprised to hear that there was a trace of nervousness in his voice. The boatman usually sounded as lifeless as the people he ferried to the Underworld.

"Yes?" Hades pressed. His pen was moving swiftly across the papyrus.

"My Lord," Charon repeated, "there is someone here to see you."

"Is it the brat?" Hades asked. Charon was well-familiar with the king's nickname of choice for Hermes.

Charon hesitated. "No, Lord. This visitor is—well, a living mortal."

The reed pen fell with a clatter. Hade looked up at the hooded figure before him, who finally had his full attention. "Show me," he demanded.

Charon turned on his heel and silently led the way. Hades followed, hot on his heel. The walk ended at the palace gates, and it was there that Hades laid eyes on the mortal stranger.

For a long moment, there was silence as the visitor stared at Hades, and Hades stared back with narrowed eyes. He was larger than any man Hades had ever seen—his bulging muscles were almost too big for his short chiton, and he stood at a towering height. A massive club was gripped in his hand, and Hades saw that his knuckles were white, as though he was prepared to use it. Hades' lip curled at the thought. Clearly, this mortal was a fool.

"I don't believe we have met," Hades finally said in a quiet voice.

The man jumped at the unexpected sound, but quickly recovered. "We haven't," he grunted.

A pause lingered in the air as Hades continued to eye the stranger. The king's dark eyes were cold. "There is a reason we haven't met," he continued softly. "If you are not dead, you have no business here."

"My business is wherever I want it to be," the human snarled, flexing his muscles in what Hades assumed was supposed to be an intimidating move. Far from being frightened, the lord of the dead merely raised a dark eyebrow. "Do not be mistaken, mortal," he said, and his lips curved into a slight smirk. "If you so desire to be present here, I shall be more than happy to accommodate you. It always delights me to increase my number of subjects—particularly when they arrive so willingly."

Hades took great pleasure in the small spark of fear in the man's eyes. In his many years of existence, he had come to learn that death was something that frightened almost everyone—no matter how vehemently they denied it.

The mortal, though, did an admirable job of concealing his fear. "You can't kill me!" he said in a forceful voice that seemed to grow louder with every syllable. "You won't kill anyone without a reason!"

It was true that despite his reputation, Hades was among the most just of the gods. He didn't approve of taking action against anyone without good reason. The mortal, however, had forgotten something crucial.

With a small sneer, Hades stepped closer. "Indeed I won't. But, as you have so foolishly forgotten, I _do _have a reason to kill you."

The man held his ground as Hades moved closer still. "Don't presume to know my own laws better than I do." The king's voice was almost a hiss now. "No living mortal is allowed to enter the realm of the dead. As I said before: _you have no business here!_"

"_Yes I do," _he snarled back. "If you would shut your mouth and give me a chance to _talk—!" _

Hades' eyes flashed; he was fully prepared to break this man's neck with his bare hands. He opened his mouth to say just that, but the words died on his lips when Hermes materialized directly behind the mortal.

Hades had known the herald for several hundred years, but in all that time, he had never seen the younger god looking so utterly _furious. _Hades quirked a questioning eyebrow at Hermes, but the messenger paid him no attention. "Are you a complete _idiot?_" he shouted instead, aiming the question at the back of the mortal's head.

The startled human spun around, meeting the newly arrived god's lived stare. Hermes didn't give him the chance to speak. "Do I have to do _everything _by myself?! Can't I take my eyes off of you for one _second _without you stumbling into a life-threatening situation? You are _useless!_" he bellowed in a voice that left the king's ears ringing. "I go to deliver _one message _and when I come back, I find out that you decided to _waltz into the Underworld! _What were you _thinking?! Do you even have a brain?!" _The messenger's hand shot up, and Hades had to fight to keep his face blank as Hermes rapped his knuckles against the man's forehead. "Did you _honestly _think it was a good idea to march up to my uncle's palace, Herakles?" he snarled as the human—Herakles?—winced in pain and rubbed his head. "How did you even get in here? Nevermind, I don't want to know. _Fool_."

"Are you quite done?" Hades drawled when Hermes stopped to catch his breath. The messenger shot him a dirty look. Hades chose to ignore it. "What is the meaning of all this? Who is this man?"

Hermes sighed and rubbed his temples. "He's my brother."

"Hardly a surprise," Hades said dryly. "I was hoping for more of an explanation. It isn't every day that half-witted oafs wander into my kingdom, and I can't say that I'm fond of the experience."

Another sigh. "He's doing penance for a crime. King Eurystheus is having him attempt a variety of tasks…if he completes them all successfully, the crime will be forgiven and he will get a reward."

"And you've been helping him?" Hades' face was set in an expression of disapproval.

"He can't be allowed to die," Hermes snapped. "He's too important. Father told me to keep an eye on him."

Hades gave Hermes a cold look that clearly said "Watch your tone with me" before letting his lips twist into a sneer. "And of what use could this buffoon possibly be to my dear brother?"

"Long story," Hermes muttered before returning his glare to Herakles. "I'm assuming you at least had _some_ sort of reason to come traipsing in here like a moron?"

"Of course I did," Herakles retorted. He actually had the nerve to look miffed. "I'm supposed to capture that big dog thing of his." He pointed his club at Hades.

For a split second, Hermes and Hades wore identical expressions of shock. Then Hades began to snort with laughter and, if it was possible, Hermes looked more surprised than before. "Laughter" and "Hades" didn't exactly go hand in hand.

"Cerberus? You're supposed to capture _Cerberus?_"

Herakles now looked positively insulted, but wisely kept his mouth shut.

After a few last chuckles, Hades eyed him with amusement. "You know what, mortal? I'm feeling generous today. If you are able to overpower him _without _using any of your brutish weapons, you may have Cerberus."

The expression Herakles took on after Hades finished speaking was nothing short of mutinous, but after a long moment of silence, he finally let out a huff of irritation. "Fine," he growled, dropping his club to the ground. His greaves, breastplate, shield, quiver and bow, spear, and helm soon followed. Hades raised his eyebrows—the mortal looked much less bulky without all of the items he'd had on his person.

"Where do I find the beast?" Herakles shot at Hades.

With a smirk, Hades pointed to a trail that led to the west side of the Underworld. Without further ado, the hero set off.

"Beware, human," Hades called after him. "Cerberus has a taste for live meat."

Herakles didn't bother to turn around, and Hermes gave his uncle a look of disgust before vanishing with a beat of his wings.

Chuckling to himself once again, Hades turned and headed back inside.

**I'm aware that in many versions of this story, Hermes helped Herakles get into the Underworld, but obviously for the purpose of my story, I needed him not to. :P**


	3. Chapter 3

_"We are three brothers born by Rhea to Kronos: Zeus, and Poseidon, and the third is Hades lord of the dead men. All was divided among us three ways, each given his domain. Poseidon when the lots were shaken drew the grey sea to live in forever; Hades drew the lot of the mists and the darkness, and Zeus was allotted the wide sky, in the cloud and the bright air. But earth and high Olympus are common to all three." -_Homer, _The Iliad_

* * *

It had been a quiet day. Hades had not seen anyone since he had risen from his bed, and he was reveling in the peace. No wandering souls, no obtuse mortals, not even a single servant had disrupted him. Hades was a sober god who usually preferred his own company to that of others, and the events of the past month had made him long for his old lifestyle—before his brother had felt the need to throw parties and send his mortal sons on ridiculous adventures.

Perhaps his large number of subjects, both mortal and immortal, had sensed his desire to be alone.

He should have known that it was all too good to be true.

Late in the afternoon, he felt a small pull in the back of his mind that alerted him to the presence of someone in his palace. It wasn't long before he discovered who had invaded his privacy.

Zeus came strolling into the room, whistling a tune that sounded suspiciously like one of his own hymns under his breath. Hades looked up from where he had been polishing his collection of rubies with narrowed eyes.

It would have been polite to allow Zeus, the king of all gods and men, to speak first, but politeness wasn't a quality that Hades was known for possessing. "What, brother?" he snapped as soon as Zeus had stopped whistling. "Has this become a new hobby—for every man, woman, and child, god and mortal, to stroll into the Underworld whenever it strikes their fancy? I _do _have laws, as you perfectly well know."

Much to Hades' dismay, Zeus was not at all fazed by the short rant. He waved a dismissive hand. "Ah, but brother," he smiled, "what fun would it be if we could not all visit each other? You and Poseidon can visit me, just as you and I can visit him…"

"We had a deal!" Hades said sharply. "The heavens and the earth above Styx were to be common to all three of us. And since _when _can we visit Poseidon? Have you suddenly developed the ability to breathe underwater? Congratulations, brother." The last words were practically dripping with sarcasm, but still, Zeus only looked vaguely amused. "And are you planning to move in here with me?" Hades went on. His dark eyes were glittering angrily. "You know I allow all to enter, but none to leave."

"And you and I both know that you make exceptions," Zeus said smoothly.

Hades snorted. "If you are referring to that foolish son of yours—"

"Herakles," Zeus supplied.

Hades ignored him. "I made a deal with him. I keep my word. Besides…I wouldn't want that oaf wandering around my kingdom. Having him here for a half hour was bad enough." His face twisted into a distasteful expression.

"You let Hermes come and go."

"He works for me," Hades dismissed before shooting his younger brother a suspicious look. "What are you doing here, anyway? Surely this isn't a social call."

"Oh, right," Zeus said. He was now walking around the room, looking at the various collections of stones that Hades had procured over the years. "I brought back that pet of yours."

"Cerberus?" Hades smirked. "Did the mortal not want to keep him?"

Zeus tugged on the ends of his white-blond hair and smirked back. "The beast has no use in the world of the living—and King Eurystheus was absolutely_ terrified_ of him. He demanded that Herakles bring him back. I offered to act in his stead."

"Well, at least you didn't come here for no reason at all," Hades muttered, absently tossing a ruby from hand to hand.

"Now, really, Hades," Zeus chastised, turning away from a collection of emeralds to face the older king. "Is it so wrong of me to visit my favorite brother?"

Hades snorted and rolled his eyes. "Don't try to use your charms on me, Zeus. 'Favorite brother'? _Really? _Don't you spend scads of time underwater with dear Poseidon? Surely _he _is your favorite."

Zeus chuckled. "Brother, I was jesting before. Even if I was able to visit Poseidon's palace, I wouldn't."

Hades silently agreed with him. Arrogant, violent Poseidon was not well liked by anyone in the family, with the possible exception of Apollo.

Zeus sat down on the table, and for once, his cheery, light-hearted expression was replaced by one of thoughtfulness. His fair eyebrows drew together, and his eyes were fixed on the floor. "Hades..." he ventured after a moment of silence.

Hades remained silent, inviting him to go on.

"There was a reason I wanted Herakles to remain safe."

"I had deduced that much," Hades said dryly.

Zeus looked up at him, and blue eyes met brown. "He is the key to conquering our ancestors once and for all," the blond said quietly.

Hades shifted in his seat, leaning forward slightly. "What do you mean?"

"We have defeated the Titans," Zeus said, keeping his voice low, "but there are still many creatures roaming our lands—creatures that remain loyal to the gods of old."

"The Gigantes," Hades murmured, for they were the greatest threat to the Olympians. They were a fierce, divine tribe of giants, loyal to the Titans and unable to be killed by any god.

"Indeed," Zeus said, looking away from Hades and gazing at the far wall. "Apollo has foretold that it is only a matter of time before they attack Olympus."

Hades leaned back and crossed his arms. "Did he also foretell that Herakles will be of great importance to the gods?" he asked with a faint trace of amusement. "Or did you figure this out all on your own?"

"Actually, Apollo only prophesied that Herakles will become immortal after he dies," Zeus retorted. He looked slightly incensed. "I'll have you know that I do _not_ need my son to work out every problem for me."

Hades didn't comment, but he knew it was true. His youngest brother, though obnoxiously cheerful and inclined to naïve and foolish ways, was by far one of the wisest of the immortals, and fearfully powerful.

"There is to be another war, then?" Hades finally said, jerking Zeus out of a stupor. The younger god nodded, and Hades found himself remembering the first war, the one that had lasted for ten years. He remembered fighting fiercely alongside his brothers as they struggled to overcome their Titan predecessors.

"I will not fight in this one," Hades said quietly.

Zeus surprised him by responding, "I didn't expect you to, brother. You are needed down here more than you are up there."

Hades gave him a curt nod, and Zeus murmured a faint farewell before disappearing with a flash of bright light.

* * *

Apollo's prediction had not been far off; the war against Heaven arrived one day with a loud _crash _that sent Hades leaping out of bed. His palace was shaking violently, the tremors coming from overhead. It was not an earthquake—he would have been forewarned by Poseidon. It only took him a second to remember what Zeus had mentioned about Apollo's prophecy.

The giants must have decided to act.

Hades hurried out of his palace as quickly as he could without stumbling and saw several people racing down the trail that led to his gates. "What's going on?" he demanded when they reached him.

It was Thanatos, standing close to his brother Hypnos, who answered. "It is the giants, Lord Hades," he said in a voice that, to Hades, always sounded breathless. "They are walking above us."

Hades looked up at the gray sky that was nothing more than an illusion. The ground was still moving beneath their feet, but what had been violent shaking had slowed to slight tremors. "To _where _are they walking_?_" he snapped, frowning upwards.

"Presumably the summit of Mount Olympus."

For a long moment, the other gods stared at their king apprehensively as he continued to glower at the sky.

They were shocked when, without warning, he growled and disappeared before their very eyes.

* * *

When Hades appeared in the middle of the Council Hall in the palace at Olympus, he found the place deserted. The sight of the empty room, which was usually bustling with people, unnerved him. He gazed at Zeus's unoccupied throne, black marble with the seat covered in purple fleece, before turning on his heel and rushing out of the room.

The marble walkways outside the Hall were equally deserted. Not a sound could be heard—not even the noises of the exotic animals that so many of the Olympians kept as pets. It seemed that everyone had fled.

He hissed in frustration before rushing down the nearest stairs—accessible only by the most important gods—which led from the palace to the mountain below. If the family had gone anywhere, he thought, it would be down here.

He was correct. At the bottom of the stairs, he found the twelve Olympians facing away from him. They were all heavily armed, even Hermes and Dionysus. Hades eyed the two after-mentioned gods—neither had any experience with war.

Making a quick decision, Hades called forth his helm—he was forever grateful to the Cyclopes for gifting him with the weapon that made him invisible to both mortals and immortals. He planned to stay hidden from his family unless his assistance was needed. Clearly, it was unnecessary to warn them.

The other gods began to talk, and in spite of himself, Hades listened in.

"I will tear these beasts limb from limb," Ares was snarling.

Apollo, who had never particularly cared for his older brother, rolled his eyes. "You're a fool to speak so, Ares."

"I may be a fool, but at least I'm not a snooty know-it-all," Ares growled. His hand had tightened around the spear he held—even from a distance, Hades could see that his knuckles were white.

Apollo looked unimpressed and almost bored. He flicked a strand of his blond hair over his shoulder, and as Hades looked at his dispassionate face, he realized how strongly Apollo resembled Zeus. At least he hadn't inherited his father's naivety.

Hades turned his attention to his brothers and sisters. Hera, as usual, was attempting to conceal her anger as Zeus chatted up Demeter. Although Zeus couldn't see him, Hades shot a glare at his back. Even before a war, his brother's hormones controlled him.

Hades had grudging respect for his beautiful sister. As much as Hera loathed being married to Zeus, she still attempted to set a good example for other women as the wife of the supreme ruler. Of all his sisters, Hades had always gotten along best with Hera, for she was nearly as snarky and stubborn as he was. She had done away with her usual veil and diadem, and in her slender hands she was twirling a dagger. Hades smirked—he wondered how much self-control it took for her to not thrust that dagger into her husband's heart.

Athena, Zeus's favorite daughter, was listening to Apollo and Ares argue with a thoughtful expression. In Hades' opinion, she looked more a warrior than any of her brothers. Dressed in full armor, her shield was strapped over her chest, her helmet was atop her head, and a spear was clutched in her hand. Hades wondered if she was as fierce as she looked. He had only ever spoken to her in passing.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hades saw Apollo turn around. The lord of the dead turned his attention back to the young god, who was now gazing at the staircase that Hades had recently descended with an unreadable expression on his face. It almost seemed like he was waiting on something.

Apparently Dionysus felt the same way, because he looked up from his conversation with Hermes and called out, "Apollo, what are you staring at?"

Dionysus's question caught the attention of the other gods, and soon, eleven pairs of eyes were trained on Apollo.

"I was waiting on something," Apollo said smoothly. He gazed at the staircase for a second longer before turning back to Ares and Athena.

He had no time to restart the conversation, however; just at that moment, a massive boulder came soaring up from somewhere near the base of the mountain, barely missing Dionysus's head. The youngest Olympian yelped and ducked to the ground; Hermes looked like he wanted to follow suit.

"They're here!" someone shouted, and it was all Hades could do to keep from making a sarcastic comment about stating the obvious. He had little time to lament about his need to stay silent because it had just become necessary for him to dive to the ground in order to avoid a flaming chunk of wood. It flew so close to the top of his head that he thought he smelled burning hair but he didn't bother to check; the Olympians were under attack.

Giants were vaulting onto the cliff where the family had been standing, wielding all manner of deadly weapons. Despite the danger that was now surrounding him, Hades watched with rapt attention as his brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews sprang into action.

Hades had seen his siblings fight before, so their talent in battle was no surprise to him. As he watched his brother's children, however, he couldn't deny being impressed. Athena, in particular, was fascinating to watch. She moved so fast that she was almost a blur. Her spear had been thrust into the first giant that charged her, and then her sword had flown out of its sheath; she wielded it with fluidity and grace.

At some point, Apollo had managed to jump up to a higher cliff. He was releasing arrows in such rapid succession that the movement of his hands was almost impossible to see. As Hades watched, his twin Artemis leapt up to join him. Hades had never before paid the archeress any mind, but now he saw that she was nimble and tall, towering nearly as high as her brother. She handled her bow with a talent that rivaled Apollo's. The arrows that the twins sent flying hit their mark every time, and their quivers magically refilled.

The battle raged on. Bolts of lightning lit up the sky in a magnificent display, and the wind roared at a fierce speed, whipping Hades' hair about his head as he continued to watch.

The rain came down harder, nearly rendering Hades blind. It was now almost impossible to distinguish friend from foe; the battling warriors were mere shadows in the storm.

It was then that Hades heard Apollo let out a shout. The lord of the head jerked his head up, struggling to locate the archer through the downpour.

Something was very wrong.

**Thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter and _Sup Girl5, _thank you as well for reviewing the epilogue...I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was fun to write. :) _Tiffany, _I'm happy that it made your day! :D _Nina..._I would hate to portray him as a villain, I think he's awesome ;D Just a little misunderstood, heh**


	4. Chapter 4

The Olympians had struck down a large portion of the giants' army; presumably, the number of Gigas warriors on the battlefield should have decreased drastically.

Strangely enough, the opposite seemed to be happening. More Gigantes were appearing on the summit of the mountain at an alarming rate, and the giants that were already present should have been dead—but they weren't. In fact, there were no corpses on the ground at all, even though Hades had seen his family's weapons landing deadly blows on enemies.

Finally, the lord of the dead caught sight of Apollo's blond hair—even in the downpour, it was as bright as the sun—and realized that a group of giants was closing in on him. _"They aren't dying!" _the archer cried out, and there was a hint of panic in the voice that was normally so collected.

Hades was confused for a split second—but then it clicked. _"Herakles is the key to conquering our ancestors once and for all," _Zeus had said.

_We can't defeat them without a mortal. _

Hades cursed under his breath and sprang forward, dodging Athena and Ares and easily leaping onto the cliff above—his sword appeared in his hand before his feet touched the ground. The blade slashed through the air, glinting even in the dim light, and he snarled as it sliced through flesh. He heard the giant howl with pain and fury, but didn't pause—he whirled around, sword flying in a flurry of movements that came as naturally as breathing, even though it had been centuries since he had wielded the weapon.

The giants were crying out in rage and confusion, unable to see their attacker—they swung their weapons, and Hades dodged their clumsy blows, taking advantage of their weakness when they stopped to look around wildly.

They stood no chance against him. Even if they had been able to see their opponent, they were unfamiliar with sword fighting—it was largely considered to be barbaric, but the Olympian family had turned it into an art.

Nearby, Apollo had thrown his precious bow to the side in favor of his own sword, and when Hades spotted the young god whirling around furiously, he was surprised to note that Apollo—who was certainly an archer through-and-through—was also an adequate swordsman. _Overachiever, _Hades thought with a mental roll of his eyes.

When the last giant on the cliff had fallen to the ground, Hades strode towards Apollo and grabbed him by the hair. _"You idiot," _he snarled into the blond's ear, and if Apollo was taken aback at being grabbed by his invisible uncle, he didn't show it. "Get off of this cliff! You won't be able to fight a group of them off by yourself if they surround you again!"

"Artemis _was _here," Apollo said sullenly, but winced when Hades' hand tightened in his hair. _"They aren't going to stay dead," _he hissed in the archer's ear. "Shouldn't you have foreseen that, you incompetent fool?! Nevermind, it's too late now. I have to go get help…do you think you can keep yourself from grievous injury until I return, or is that too much to ask?"

Apollo looked furious at the insults. He shoved his sopping wet hair out of his face and opened his mouth to make what would probably have been a scathing reply, but Hades cut him off. "I'm leaving. Go make yourself useful."

With that said, he jumped off the cliff.

He was just getting ready to depart when he spotted yet another god being surrounded by enemies—this time, it was Hermes. The young messenger was also wielding a sword, but less effectively than Apollo had. The giants had zeroed in on what was clearly a weak target.

Hades scowled in frustration but sprinted forward, grabbing the messenger by the wrist and dragging him away. At Hades' touch, the messenger also became invisible—they left the giants looking around in befuddlement.

At his side, Hermes was sputtering indignantly.

"It's me, brat," Hades snapped once they had reached a relatively safe spot. "Stop blabbering. I have to go somewhere, so I want you to take this." He wrenched off his helm and shoved it at Hermes.

The herald took it, looking down at Hades' most prized item with wonder.

"Well, don't just stare at it!" Hades said impatiently. "What are you waiting for...a written invitation? Put it on!"

Hermes did so, and Hades got a fleeting glimpse of his sheepish expression before he seemingly vanished into thin air.

Hades stared at the spot where the messenger had been standing. "Take care of yourself, brat," he muttered before disappearing with a flash of light.

* * *

It didn't take long for the lord of the dead to track down Herakles. He was living with his stepfather, Amphitryon, in Thebes. Hades found the mortal in a field near his house, tending cattle.

Hades pulled his cloak tighter around his body as he approached, shielding his exposed arms from the wind. Herakles looked up as the god drew closer; he didn't look surprised to see Hades. "You again," was his muttered greeting.

"Indeed," Hades agreed, and then abruptly said, "You are to come with me."

Herakles straightened up, and Hades sighed inwardly at the frown on the human's face—he should have known this wasn't going to be easy. "Give me a good reason and maybe I will."

Hades regarded him with narrowed eyes. "Alright," he said coolly. "How's this for a reason: If you don't, I'll break your neck."

The mortal had the audacity to smirk. "I'd like to see you try."

Hades had the insane urge to laugh, but he kept his expression blank and looked Herakles directly in the eye.

They were silent for a long moment, and Herakles appeared to be confused as he stared back at the god—but then his eyes widened in shock, and Hades' eyes sparkled with malice at the sight.

Invisible fingers were squeezing the mortal's throat, compressing his trachea and impeding the blood flowing through his jugular vein and carotid arteries. "Do you feel that?" Hades said in a deadly soft voice. "There isn't any air flowing into your lungs…and blood can't get to your brain. If I don't stop, your cerebral tissue is going to start dying—that is, if you don't asphyxiate first." He let out a short, mirthless laugh. "With a little more pressure, I may even fracture a few bones…"

The mortal's eyes were beginning to glaze over, and Hades sighed out loud before releasing the pressure. He needed the fool alive and conscious, after all.

Herakles crumbled to his knees, and the king waited silently while he recuperated with much hacking, coughing, and gasping. His face became flushed as blood rushed upward, and after a few minutes, he looked up at Hades with a hateful expression.

Hades looked back with a raised eyebrow. "Well?" he drawled. "Are you going to accompany me, or is more persuasion necessary?"

Herakles climbed to his feet, muttering obscenities under his breath. Hades spared him a smirk before turning around to face his chariot—it had conveniently appeared while he had been torturing the mortal. His four horses—each were as black as the darkest of nights—were pawing the ground nervously. They disliked daylight.

He stepped into the chariot and took up the black reins. A seething Herakles followed without being told.

Without further ado, they were off.

* * *

The battle on Mount Olympus had escalated since Hades' departure, and it was clear that the Olympians were beginning to panic. Bolts of lightning, controlled by Zeus, were flashing through the sky without pause. Boulders and tree trunks continued to soar through the air, and silver arrows were just visible as they cut paths through the storm.

Hades scowled when he saw the arrows—hadn't he told Apollo to stay off the isolated cliffs?

He turned to Herakles, who was already soaked through by the downpour. "It's your job to put an end to this mess," he shouted over the noise of the battle. "We can't kill them without your help—so _go!" _

For once, Herakles listened—he leapt out of the chariot without any protest. After a second's pause, Hades followed him.

The mortal instantly leapt up to Apollo's cliff and produced a bow that Hades hadn't noticed he'd been carrying—soon, a pair of arrows was rushing towards a giant that had been approaching Dionysus. One arrow embedded itself in the giant's right eye, the other in his left. He fell to the ground and didn't get up.

A large number of giants were struck down in this manner before Herakles jumped off the cliff. He whirled around, spotting a giant that had just cornered Hera. The queen had barely uttered a cry for help when a bolt of lightning flashed down from the sky, striking her attacker. A split second later, Herakles pierced the same giant with a fatal arrow.

The Olympians were finally gaining the upper hand, and for the first time, giants were lying dead on the battlefield. Hades engaged a particularly fierce Gigas warrior in a fight—his breath came in short, shallow bursts as he swung, slashed, and dodged, and he was prepared to land the final blow when a stray rock came flying out of nowhere, knocking his sword from his hands.

He froze as a victorious smile crossed his enemy's face—the giant raised his weapon, ready to swing at the unarmed king—

_Whack!_

Hades closed his eyes but soon realized that he was unharmed. He opened one eye, peered around, and saw Dionysus standing before him, holding his staff. He had beaten the giant over the head with it.

Hades stared at the young god incredulously, accepting his sword when Dionysus leaned down and picked it up for him. He couldn't believe that he had just been saved by the youngest Olympian.

Hades didn't have long to be dumbfounded, because just at that moment, the world started to shake. The rain came down harder than ever before, and all at once, hundreds of bolts of lightning cracked through the air, striking each of the remaining Gigas warriors. In the middle of the field stood Zeus, his hands raised towards the sky as he demonstrated the might of Heaven; the air crackled and hummed with electricity.

It was an incredible sight that ended too soon.

The rain slowed to a drizzle and then stopped completely. The silence was deafening. Hades looked around at his family, standing amidst the corpses of their fallen enemies. There was a bloody gash across Apollo's face, and Ares's lower lip was busted. Hermes, who was cradling Hades' helm in one arm, looked relatively unscathed, but now that the rain had stopped, Hades could see that Dionysus had a black eye.

"What—what just happened?" Artemis said uncertainly.

Aphrodite, standing next to her, was gazing at Herakles was she wringed out her dark hair.

Hades returned his dark eyes to Zeus and saw that his brother was looking back at him. "I see you didn't deem it necessary to share all of the facts with the others," Hades intoned.

Zeus sighed. "We were taken by surprise. I didn't have time."

Hades highly doubted that, but he dropped the subject. "My work here is done," was the last thing he said before vanishing on the spot.

* * *

To his dismay, Hermes followed him home. The messenger, who had dirt streaked across his cheeks and clumped in his hair, fell into a nearby chair without being invited.

"What are you doing?" Hades snapped as he unwrapped his dirty chiton.

Hermes looked surprised at the question. "…sitting?"

"I didn't _ask _you to sit…nor did I ask you to be here," he said testily.

Hermes sighed at his rude uncle and held up the Helm of Darkness. "I thought you would want this back. And—thank you for letting me use it."

Hades sneered at him. "My brother would surely have murdered me if I had let you get yourself killed."

"We can't be killed," Hermes reminded him, and a hint of the old mischievous sparkle had returned to his eyes.

Hades rolled his eyes, running a hand through his helplessly tangled hair. "You know what I meant, brat. Now get out of my palace."

"Fine," Hermes said, climbing to his feet with a dramatic, longsuffering sigh.

Hades hid an amused smile as the herald flew away.

* * *

_This particular battle-the **Gigantomachy**-isn't referenced very often in Greek Mythology, but it was ultimately the rising up of a group called Gigantes (usually considered to be children of Gaia, who wanted revenge on the Olympians). The myth usually goes that Herakles was destined to help the Olympians slay the Gigantes-the gods wouldn't be able to slay them without his help. When the Gigantes began to approach Mount Olympus, throwing rocks and flaming oak trees, Zeus forbade the Sun, the Moon, and the Dawn to shine. Under the cover of darkness, Athena went in her chariot to collect Herakles and brought him back to the mountain. Hera was indeed cornered by a giant, and Dionysus did kill one with his staff. Apollo and Herakles together shot one in each of his eyes. Hermes slayed one while wearing Hades' helmet. Hecate, Hephaestus, Athena, Poseidon, and Artemis also killed giants. At the end of the battle, Zeus used thunderbolts to slay the rest of them._

* * *

**That above paragraph is my short description of the war as described by writer Apollodorus. Homer and Hesiod don't mention it. **

**This isn't the same incident in which Ares gets kidnapped...but since you like that myth, _Evie McPhey_, I'm writing a story about it for you. ;) It also has Hermes turning people into birds and stuff...hehe. I have read about that particular myth before since I used it briefly in my other story, _On These Wings, I Fly_, but I wasn't too familiar with the details until recently. ;D I tried to message you, by the way, but it wouldn't let me. :(**

**Thank you so much, everybody, for reviewing! My apologies for any mistakes, I'll fix them later. Off to school with me. -_-**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Things get a little bit slashy in this chapter...it's barely there, but if you don't like it...well, go away. :) Thank you for reviewing the last chapter, and, as always, I apologize for any mistakes. Sometimes I miss things even after I read the chapter dozens of times. ;P**

* * *

_"I did my best, it wasn't much_

_I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch_

_I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you." _

-Leonard Cohen, _Hallelujah _

* * *

It was standard for Hades' many servants to give him reports on the state of the Underworld, as the king could hardly be everywhere at once. His servants were largely responsible for ensuring that no souls escaped and that no one entered who wasn't supposed to—a duty that they had evidently been neglecting, Hades thought with a scowl. There were also the judges, who decided which part of the Underworld a soul would spend the rest of eternity in; Hecate, a mysterious and extremely powerful goddess who preferred to reside in the dark abyss of Hades' kingdom—she and the king rarely came face-to-face, opting to keep to themselves; and the gods who supervised the rivers of the underworld.

Hades blew a strand of black hair out of his face and shifted in his throne, trying to hide his boredom. There was nothing more tedious than listening to people babble about things he had heard thousands of times before. The Underworld was largely unchanging, if one didn't count the various unwelcome visitors of late. And Hypnos had the most tiresome voice he had ever heard…

The king stifled a yawn and cast the god of sleep a withering look. "Are you quite done?" he wanted to say, but kept his mouth shut.

Hypnos continued to talk.

Hades' fingers tapped faster. His eyes, black in the dim light, stared at the back wall. He no longer cared if he looked attentive.

_CRASH! _

Hades' head, which had begun to droop to the side, snapped up so fast that the bones in his neck made an audible _crack. _"What was that?!" he demanded angrily, but his question was answered almost instantly.

There was a table in a dark corner of the room, upon which rested several bottles of wine and nectar.

When Hades' narrowed eyes darted over to that corner, he was incensed to see that the table was now on its side, and the floor was littered with broken glass, a large puddle, and two bickering gods.

Hades instantly recognized Hermes' voice.

"It was _not _my fault!" the messenger was shouting. "I actually _know _how to land! Maybe if you weren't always _drunk_…"

"_I'm not drunk!" _his companion cried, and Hades let out an audible groan when he recognized the voice as belonging to Dionysus.

"Keep telling yourself that," Hermes snapped. _"Great! _Just _perfect! _My favorite cloak—it's _ruined!_" His voice grew higher as he continued to whine.

"Your _cloak?! _What about my _hair?! _It's soaked with—ooh, yum! Is this nectar?"

"Indeed it is," Hades answered furiously. "A priceless bottle of nectar! If I'd known that you would end up shampooing with it, I might have left it in the kitchen. Get off the floor, you imbeciles!"

"You know what, Hades?" Hermes began as he struggled to get up. "If you keep talking to me like that, I might start to think you don't like me!"

From behind him, Hades could hear the sound of stifled laughter. An angry flush appeared on his cheeks as he stormed forward and grabbed both gods by the hair. "Listen to me, you idiots," he hissed. "You're making a fool out of me in my own court! Did you have a reason for coming here, or did you simply wish to embarrass me?"

Dionysus began to giggle hysterically. His breath was sweet and fruity. _He's crazy if he thinks he's not drunk, _Hades mentally scoffed.

Thanatos stepped forward. "My Lord?" he said hesitantly. "Should we postpone the rest of the meeting?"

Hades opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by Dionysus, whose hands had reached up to grab Hades' wrist. "You're so pretty," the wine god breathed, staring up at the king with wide violet eyes and a slight smile on his face.

Hades let out a cry of disgust and released Dionysus as though he'd been burned, but Dionysus merely latched on to his robes instead.

"Get this drunken moron off of me!" Hades shouted, turning his head to glare at Hermes. Hermes wasn't listening, though. He was busy slyly pocketing the one unbroken bottle of wine.

"Messenger! Put that down before I wring your neck," Hades snapped as he attempted to free his robes of Dionysus's grasp. He twisted his head around to demand that his servants help him, but saw that they had all left the room. _Useless fools. _

He took several steps back after finally managing to free himself and glared ferociously at his two visitors: Dionysus, who was now lying on his stomach, and Hermes, who had returned to mourning over his ruined cloak.

"You are a poor excuse for gods," Hades huffed, brushing the wrinkles out of his clothes. "I shall recommend to Zeus that the both of you be castrated at the next opportune moment. Surely such fools should not be allowed to reproduce."

To their credit, neither god looked particularly scared at the admittedly empty threat. "Do you have any more nectar?" Dionysus asked.

Hades heaved a sigh and turned on his heel, his robes snapping behind him. He collapsed on his throne, suddenly feeling exhausted. Even though he'd been alive for thousands of years, it was the first time he felt truly old.

Hermes stepped over his brother and moved forward until he was standing in front of Hades. "I actually did have a reason for coming here."

Hades raised a dark eyebrow. "Oh?"

"There's a rumor going around," he said slyly. His emerald eyes were dancing.

Hades rolled his eyes. "Petty rumors might interest you, Messenger, but I assure you that I have better things to concern myself with."

"Silly me," Hermes snorted. "I forgot that Lord Hades doesn't care if someone challenges his power."

That caught Hades' attention. "Excuse me?"

Hermes grinned. His teeth sparkled even in the dim room. "A little bird told me that Hades—the almighty Lord of the Underworld—isn't as powerful as everyone seems to think. In fact, word is that a certain someone has more power over death than Hades!"

Hades' lips twitched. "And who might this person be?"

"He was just here!" Hermes sang, and Hades was fast losing his patience.

"Tell me!" he demanded.

Hermes grinned impishly one last time before answering. "Thanatos."

Hades froze. His eyes were narrowed angrily. So immersed in his thoughts was he that he didn't even notice when Dionysus, who had finally gotten to his feet, plucked the king's crown off his head and placed it atop his own with an elaborate flourish.

The king finally leapt up and stormed from the room, intent on finding the impious daemon.

He didn't have to look far. Thanatos was standing just outside the door, apparently waiting for the king to immerge. His body stiffened when he saw the anger in his lord's eyes.

"Thanatos," Hades purred, stepping closer to the daemon until they were face-to-face. "I just heard a _very _interesting story about you."

Fear instantly entered Thanatos's eyes.

Hades put his hands on either side of Thanatos's face, gently stroking his skin. He leaned forward until his lips touched the daemon's ear. "Tell me, little one," he whispered. "Do you think yourself more powerful than I?"

Thanatos trembled. "No—no, Lord Hades," he stammered. "No, of course not…"

One of Hades' hands slipped into his servant's silvery hair. "Then you realize, of course, that you are nothing but a daemon of the underworld, and that I am the god who rules over this abyss and everyone in it?"

Thanatos's trembling had turned into violent shaking. He was dwarfed by the king's tall, powerful frame; Hades towered over him. "I am one of the most powerful beings in the world," the lord hissed. "If I ever again hear that you have been questioning what I'm capable of, you'll come to regret the day you sprung forth from the darkness of this universe." He pulled his head back slightly in order to glare at his captive servant.

The daemon's hands were gripping Hades' wrist. His stormy gray eyes were wide as he stared into the face of his king, whose dark eyes looked all the more fierce against his bloodless skin. His pale lips were twisted into a slight snarl.

"I'm sorry, My Lord," Thanatos said quietly.

Hades stared at him a second longer before releasing his face. "Be glad that you are good at your job, Thanatos," he said darkly. "Otherwise I would have no use for a traitor like you. Do not doubt me again."

Thanatos nodded before slipping away as fast as he possibly could. Hades scowled after him before turning back to the doorway. He came face-to-face with Hermes.

Hades opened his mouth to tell the messenger to move, but something in Hermes' eyes made him pause. The emerald orbs, which were normally full of mischief, were now staring at the king in a way that looked…admiring.

Hades stared at him with uncertainty. "Um—"

It was a very undignified thing to say, and Hades mentally kicked himself. Things were really starting to get out of hand in the Underworld. People had taken to crash-landing in his palace; the ruler had lost his smooth, snarky, eloquent way of talking; and, most irritating of all, the messenger was still staring at him in a very unnerving manner.

"What are you staring at?" Hades asked bluntly, crossing his arms.

"I was watching you," the messenger replied. "Looks like you might have a thing for Thanatos."

_Huh? _

"What are you talking about?" Hades snapped. "I don't have a _'thing' _for anyone! Not all of us have the libido of a teenage human. Now why don't you do me a favor and get out of my sight? I've seen enough of you this past month to last me the next thousand years!"

"Why don't _you _stop pretending to hate me?" Hermes snapped back. To Hades' great surprise, his eyes were flashing angrily. "You saved my life! If I annoy you so much, why didn't you just let those giants kill me?"

"Spare me your childish mind tricks," Hades shot back. "I don't have to explain my actions to you, and you won't maneuver me into doing so. Oh, and by the way, you are forgetting that you are a _god_. You wouldn't have been killed with or without my help."

"I'm not trying to _maneuver _you into doing _anything!_" Hermes shouted, completely ignoring the last part. "But you must have had a reason for helping me!"

Hades thought he could see where this was going. His lips pressed into a thin line as he eyed his brother's son. _I'm too old for this. _

"Do not delude yourself into thinking you're special to me," the king said coldly. "It was not you I was fighting for on that cliff. It was for what we as gods stand for. I fought for the pantheon, and I helped you merely because you are a member—just as I helped Apollo and the rest of you accursed Olympians."

He turned on his heel and stalked in the other direction before he was forced to see the look of hurt on the messenger's young face.

* * *

_Thanatos was more often considered to be the personification of death, though he does appear in person in some myths. _


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This is kind of a strange chapter...**

* * *

_"So here it is, another chance_

_Wide awake, you face the day_

_Your dream is over...or has it just begun?"_

Queensryche, _Silent Lucidity _

* * *

Hades was having an extremely strange dream.

He was lying on a blanket next to a large swimming pool. There was some sort of strange contraption on his face, covering his eyes; it was like he was looking through circles of darkened glass.

When he sat up, he realized that he was completely naked except for some sort of clothing that was similar to a loincloth, except that it covered part of his thighs as well.

Looking around, he saw that the area was completely deserted. The pool was surrounded by a circular building, but there was no one in sight.

Or so he thought.

"It's nice, isn't it?"

Hades blanched when he heard the voice but quickly regained his composure. He turned in the direction it was coming from and saw Hermes standing waist-deep in the pool. The messenger's torso was bare and his hair was soaking wet; he was leaning against the side with his elbows propped on the ground and his chin in his hands. He looked pensive.

"Where am I?" Hades asked.

Hermes' eyes flicked in the direction of the king, but he didn't answer the question. Beads of water were rolling down his arms. "I like it here. It actually makes me excited about the future, even though everything's going to change."

The messenger shifted, and the splashing of water broke the silence. A hand reached up to dart through his sopping hair, pushing it away from his forehead.

Hades stared at him through the darkened-glass circles. "I may or may not find you even more annoying in my dreams than I do in real life," he said testily. "Leave it to my mind to create a more annoying version of a person I thought couldn't get more annoying in the first place."

Hermes looked vaguely surprised. "'Dreams'? You think this is a dream?"

"No, I don't _think_," Hades snapped. "I _know. _I remember going to sleep, and now I'm _here, _wearing some sort of weird apparatus on my face and listening to you babble on about the future…which I'm fairly sure is something I would _never _do while properly conscious."

"Well, it might be a dream," Hermes conceded, "but certainly not a normal one. Your mind couldn't invent all of this." He waved a hand around.

"And yours could?"

Hermes smiled slightly. The expression was only a shadow of the brilliant grin the messenger usually had on his face. "No offense, but I think I have more talent for inventing things than you do."

Hades opened his mouth angrily, fully prepared to put the brat in his place, which was several notches down from where he currently was.

Hermes went on before the king could say a word. "I didn't invent this place, though."

"Then what is it and why am I here?"

Hermes hoisted his body up and sat on the edge of the pool. As Hades watched, he pulled a knee up to his chest and rested his chin upon it. "This is the future, Hades."

"_Lord _Hades," he corrected through gritted teeth. "Since when can you see the future?"

"Since Apollo gave me the power to. I don't particularly enjoy doing it, but this," he gestured around again, "_this _I love. Everything is so—immaculate."

"You haven't explained why I'm here," Hades said impatiently.

Hermes looked up slowly. His eyes stared directly into Hades'. "That's because I don't know the answer, _My Lord,_" he said softly. "That's something you have to answer on your own."

* * *

Hades' eyes snapped open. He sat up, blinking in confusion.

It had been nearly a year since Hermes and he had shared a conversation that was not about the delivery of messages. Why was he dreaming about the messenger now?

Or had that dream belonged to him at all?

With an angry huff, Hades leapt out of bed and dressed quickly. He stormed out of the room, alerted his servants that he was leaving, and then departed for Mount Olympus.

He met Zeus at the gates of the Olympian palace. His brother appeared shocked to see him. "Hades! What are you—" His voice trailed off as his eyes widened. "You look terrible."

Hades had neglected to brush his hair or put on his normal kingly accessories.

"Thanks so much," Hades said sarcastically. "Where is the messenger?"

Shock morphed into vague surprise. "Hermes? I don't know. He might still be sleeping. What do you—?"

Hades didn't wait for him to finish. Without another word, he marched past his brother and headed in the direction of the gods' rooms in the east wing of the palace. Hermes' room was the last on the right side of the hallway, and when Hades arrived at the door, he flung it open without bothering to knock.

"Wake up!" he snarled as he advanced into the room.

Hermes was sprawled across his bed, the covers bunched up around his legs and arms flung limply to the side. He didn't move.

Hades stalked forward and swooped down until his face was mere inches from the messenger's. _"Wake up!" _he spat.

This time, Hermes began to stir. His forehead crinkled and his eyes fluttered open. He blinked sleepily.

It was several second before Hermes' mind focused, but when it did, he let out a squawk and scrambled away from the intruder, who was still looming over him with his teeth bared and a mess of black hair framing his pale face. It was a frightening image.

"_What are you doing in my room?!" _

"What are _you _doing in my _dreams?!" _was the furious retort. "I warn you, herald: If you continue to toy around with my mind, there _will _be consequences!"

"What—?"

"I knew you were upset that I snapped at you, but this is going too far!"

"Er—"

"I hope your wise, all-knowing father has a _long _talk with you about this!" Hades went on furiously. "What a wonderful job he's doing as king: Letting his moronic sons use _mind trickery _on lords!"

"I don't know what you're talking about but I didn't do anything to you!" Hermes finally managed to shout when Hades stopped to breathe.

Hades sneered at him. "Do you really think I'm going to fall for that? You've been angry at me for a year—holding your childish grudges just because I spurned you—and now you're finally getting your petty revenge! You're supposed to send dreams to _mortals_...not _me!_"

Hermes stared at him for a long moment before sighing deeply and rubbing his eyes. "Did you really storm in here at the crack of dawn just to accuse me of—well, whatever it is you were yelling about?"

Hades snorted and turned away. "Oh, spare me the act of innocent confusion. I wasn't born yesterday. You may be smart, but not smart enough to deceive me." He turned back around. "I'm only going to tell you this once, so listen closely. _Stay out of my head or I will make you regret it. _I don't know what sort of twisted fantasies your mind has concocted about the two of us, but it would be in your best interest to _drop them! _We will never have a relationship that is anything other than professional. We are not going to be friends, and no amount of deceit and lies on your part will ever change that. Do you understand? Stop annoying me. Stop visiting me—consciously and unconsciously."

Hades should have known that the messenger wouldn't continue to back down, but he was still surprised when Hermes jumped off the bed and faced him with his emerald eyes flashing. "Your mask is impressive, _Lord Hades_," he snapped, "but I'm not buying it. I've seen the other side of you. You aren't evil. You aren't cruel. You don't hate anyone. Do you know what I think? I think you've been alone for too long. You've had all these years to make yourself nice and bitter, to mope about how you got the short end of the stick back when you were young. Now you need to let it go. All I want to do is help you!"

There was a long pause, during which Hades regarded Hermes coolly. Finally, he spoke. "Not only did you completely miss the point," he said icily, "but you are also completely wrong. I don't need help with anything."

He turned around to leave, but just before he did, he looked over his shoulder. "Remember what I said, messenger. I meant everything."

With that said, he left. The door closed with a snap.

He didn't expect the door to burst open a mere five seconds later, before he'd even gotten halfway down the hall. Hermes stormed out of his room, and before Hades could tell him to go away, the messenger had ahold of the back of his chiton. "I'm not going to let you go! Not like this!"

Hades was enraged. He spun around, forcing Hermes to release him. "I wonder," the king hissed, "what you hope to accomplish by this. Do you perhaps wish to lose a limb? Did my words go in one ear and out the other?"

"_Just give me a chance!" _Hermes demanded. "That's all I'm asking! Why is that so hard for you?"

Hades shoved his tangled hair out of his face, the better to glare at the young Olympian. "A chance to do _what, _exactly? To _help _me? I told you: _I don't need help!"_

Hades paused to take a deep breath. His dark eyes never left the messenger's.

He was horrified when Hermes reached a hand out, his fingers coming dangerously close to the king's pale face. The hand never touched his skin, though; instead, it slid into Hades' black hair, moving through the messy locks in a way that most certainly was _not _pleasant.

Hades was too petrified to react. This had never happened to him before. _Never _had someone been this bold.

The contact only lasted for a split second; for Hades, it felt like a century.

Hermes drew his hand back. The expression on his face was unreadable as he held up his fingers for Hades to see. "You had something in your hair," he mumbled, and sure enough, there was a piece of fuzz pinched between his thumb and index finger.

Hades stared at the tiny bit of fluff before flicking his eyes up to the messenger's face.

To his great surprise, the unreadable expression was no longer there. Instead, a mischievous smile had lighted up Hermes' features.

Hades was dismayed. He hated that smile. It always made him feel like he was missing something—or like he had been tricked. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he heard himself ask.

Hadn't they been yelling at each other just two minutes ago?

"You're cute when you're confused."

_That _was going too far. Hades ground his teeth together, but as he was prone to do, the messenger kept talking before he could respond.

"I wish you would visit Olympus more often."

Once again, he was speaking in the bubbly voice that Hades found so annoying. "Why?" the lord of the dead asked sarcastically. "So we can work on our budding friendship?"

"Exactly," Hermes said brightly, and Hades was seriously beginning to wonder if the young god was bipolar. How had they gone from fighting to…well, whatever this was?

"Were you not listening to me when I said we would never be friends?"

"I was hoping we could forget about that entire argument."

Hades eyed him suspiciously. He knew exactly what Hermes was doing. He had decided that deceit and lies wouldn't work on the king, and now he was trying a different tactic. Well, two could play at that game.

Hades exhaled loudly and did his best to look defeated. "Messenger, if it'll keep you from annoying me so much, you may do whatever you want. I'm tired of fighting with you."

Hermes looked like Yule had come early; his grin was nearly blinding.

Hades had to fight to keep from smirking. How could such a smart person be so gullible?

"You mean you'll let me be your friend?"

"No," Hades said curtly. "I mean I'll give you a fair chance to win my friendship. I'll do my best not to fight your attempts."

_As if. The day I let anyone be my friend is the day I sing love songs with Apollo, have a sleepover with my brothers, and hand out sweets to my servants. _

"I accept the challenge," Hermes was saying, and Hades tilted his head.

"Good. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take my leave. I fear that I'm not quite presentable, and I would like to change before the rest of the pantheon wakes up." It was probably the least snarky thing he had ever said to anyone, and the words felt odd in his mouth. It seemed very unusual to explain his actions to another person.

Hermes was looking him up and down, and when Hades noticed, the amiable expression he had forced onto his face quickly changed into a glare.

"I think you look good," Hermes said cheekily. "The rumpled bedhead look really suits you."

"I didn't ask for your opinion," Hades snapped. The friendship was off to a wonderful start.

"Aw, but Hades," Hermes teased. "Don't friends share opinions?"

With an annoyed huff, Hades spun around and left his new 'friend' behind.

* * *

**The sort of divination that Hermes could do in mythology is nothing like what I describe here, with visions and such. He actually used pebbles. But he _was _a "bringer of dreams", according to Homer in Hymn 4. ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This switches to Hermes' POV at one point.**

* * *

_"You were always so far away_

_I know that pain_

_So don't you run away _

_like you used to do."_

-Alice in Chains, _Brother_

* * *

He knew he was dreaming again before he even opened his eyes. A strange scent was filling his nostrils; it smelled like food, but not anything that Hades was familiar with. He could hear a clatter of noise and the low chatter of voices.

Reluctantly, he opened his eyes.

His head had been resting on a wooden table, and when he lifted it up, he saw a small group of people standing at a counter. He recognized each of them, even though they were all dressed in a manner that told Hades that the messenger had decided to drag him on another trip to the future.

Hermes was wearing a flower-print apron and a hat that resembled a piece of cauliflower. He was busily cutting up something that Hades didn't recognize; they were ugly, brown, oval-shaped things. Sizzling and popping noises were coming from a pot on a type of stove Hades had never seen before.

Hermes was right. The future looked immaculate.

Dionysus was standing at the messenger's elbow; his future appearance was a drastic change from present-day. His long hair had been cropped short and was spiked up. His hands were shoved in the pockets of the blue jeans he was wearing. The only thing that hadn't changed was the dreamy expression on his face.

On the other side of Dionysus was Apollo, who looked just about as happy to be there as Hades felt. His hair was still long, pulled back in a ponytail; his expression was murderous. The top few buttons of his dark red shirt were undone, and his ankles were crossed as he leaned against the counter. His fingers were drumming an erratic beat.

Ares was standing at Hermes' other elbow, appearing to be a cross between dazed and confused. Ridiculously, Hades felt the urge to laugh at the design on the war god's shirt: It was a skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth. Beneath the design was the word "morsmordre", written in the Latin alphabet. Hades vaguely recognized the Latin words for "death" and "bite" but wasn't quite sure what it meant.

"Messenger, I thought I told you to desist from the unconscious visits," Hades finally drawled.

Hermes looked up from his chopping and grinned. "I deemed your words defunct once I accepted your challenge."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, my words are still 'funct'!" Hades snapped. "How am I supposed to get a good night's sleep when you keep dragging me to your little parties-in-the-future?"

"The proper term is 'non-defunct', or 'valid'," Apollo said, still looking annoyed. "But I, too, am curious as to why I'm here."

Everyone ignored him.

"This is fair play, Hades," Hermes said, gesturing around with the knife and causing Ares and Apollo to step away warily. Dionysus didn't seem to care. "It's easier for me this way. Getting you to spend time with me while you're conscious is harder than it sounds."

"Well, if you insist on invading my dreams, could you at least make the setting somewhere in the present? And what in the name of Zeus are you cooking? It stinks."

"Potato soup," Hermes said happily, holding up one of the ugly brown things. "I can't wait till potatoes are brought to Greece. They're delicious."

Apollo snorted in contempt. "When I gave you the power of divination, this wasn't how I intended for you to use it."

Once again, no one responded to him.

"And what is in the pot?" Hades asked, eyeing it like he expected it to jump up and attack him.

"Bacon!" was the cheerful answer. "It's kind of different from what we eat in our time. You'll see." As he spoke, he poured a cup of water into the pot. It sizzled even louder.

Ares picked up a large onion off the counter and tossed it from hand to hand. For the first time, Hades noticed that there was a silver hoop in one of his ears. The king had the urge to giggle again.

Maybe he was finally going crazy.

"So...you think feeding me _potato soup _is a good way to win my friendship?" Hades asked, propping his chin up on his folded hands.

"Who said I'm feeding _you _anything?" Hermes countered, tossing chopped potatoes into his now-boiling concoction. His strange hat looked like it was ready to fall off; it was leaning to one side.

"I suppose I simply assumed that you couldn't eat that entire pot of soup on your own," Hades drawled. "You don't weigh one-hundred-and-twenty pounds dripping wet."

"I do too!" was the indignant response. "I probably weigh more than you do. Besides, weight has _nothing _to do with how much a person can eat. I knew this one girl-""

Hades rolled his eyes and cut him off. "Enough of this childish argument."

Onions went into the pot. "Hey, Apollo," Hermes said. "Don't you think Hades looks good when he isn't all dressed up and immaculately groomed?"

It was hard to say who looked more horrified: Hades or Apollo. Hades looked down and realized that he was wearing the same plain, white chiton he had worn to bed; running a hand through his hair, he felt a number of tangles and stray strands. He groaned. It was the second time in a number of days he had appeared without every lock of hair perfectly in place, as it usually was in public.

Although Apollo was too shocked by the question to answer, violet eyes came to rest on the disheveled king. "He does look good," Dionysus agreed in his languid way.

Ares made a face at his youngest brother.

"Told you so," Hermes said to Hades.

"I refuse to believe you just because a drunken moron agrees with your opinion," Hades retorted, "and I won't listen to anything that comes out of your mouth, either. Not when you look so utterly _ridiculous!_"

Hermes ran his hands down the front of his apron and grinned. "You don't like it?"

"I was actually referring to the hat," Hades sneered. "The apron is simply the finishing touch on all the idiocy."

Hermes rolled his eyes but pulled the hat off, and Hades saw that his hair, normally chin-length or longer, had also been cut off. It made him look older. Now if he would just lose the apron…

Hades shook his head sharply. No doubt about it. He'd definitely gone crazy. He ran his fingers through his own hair, absently trying to smooth out the tangles.

Hermes, who had tossed the hat aside, watched him with an amused expression. "You know, I didn't think this was possible, but you might be more fanatical about your hair than Apollo is about his. I don't get how the both of you can stand having such long hair. It would drive me insane."

"Well, good thing we didn't ask for your opinion, then," Hades snapped, and Apollo grumbled his agreement.

"It makes the lot of you look like girls," Ares scoffed.

Hades glared at him. "Ares, we might be in a dream, but lest you forget, I can still break every bone in your body once we wake up."

"I think we're too sexy to look like girls," Dionysus said lazily.

"Some of us, maybe," Apollo said. "You actually _do _look like a girl."

Dionysus didn't argue. Ares snorted.

The concoction in the pot was now boiling merrily, and Hermes washed his hands before walking around the counter and then plopping onto the tabletop in front of Hades. Hades glanced up at him with smoldering dark eyes. "Can you not sit in a chair like a normal person?"

"I took the opportunity to be able to look down at you for once," Hermes said playfully. "You're really tall, you know."

"Oh, am I really? I hadn't realized. By the way, why is it that everyone in your merry band of friends gets to wear new clothes, and I'm still wearing _this_?"

Hermes' eyes sparkled wickedly, and he leaned closer to Hades with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I told you," he said in an undertone. "I think you look cute."

"I am not _'cute' _in any way, shape, or form," Hades hissed back.

"Mm," Hermes hummed softly. The look in his eyes was unnerving. Hades was strongly reminded of the day Dionysus and the messenger had crash-landed in his palace; he'd had the same look then.

Hades rubbed his fingers against his temples, trying to massage away the impending headache. "This is how the world is going to end: At the hands of my brother's brats. And I shall be the first to die."

"Don't be dramatic. You'll learn to like me. Everyone does."

"_Don't be stupid_," Hades said, mocking the messenger's voice. "I've always thought you were insolent and irritating. The time we've spent together recently has only reassured me that I'm _always _right."

Hermes leaned nearer still, and Hades fought the strong urge to jump up and run. He did _not _like being this close to other people. It was unsettling. The herald was so close that Hades could see a smattering of freckles on his nose and the different shades in his eyes. It looked like there was a ring of gold around his pupil. Hades had never noticed that before…

* * *

The king looked completely shell-shocked, and Hermes grinned slightly. He loved being able to unravel the cold-hearted lord of the dead.

The messenger tilted his head slightly, examining Hades. It was the first time he'd been this close to the older god, if one didn't include the time he'd burst into Hermes' room and hovered over his bed like a creepy stalker.

His skin was translucent, nothing short of alabaster, stretched tautly over his sharp features. His lips were bloodless, and the skin beneath his eyes looked slightly bruised. His eyes, though, were breathtaking: Rich brown, nearly black, but with flecks of a lighter color that Hermes had yet to put a name to. His powerful hands were balled into fists on the table in front of him; Hermes glanced at the hands before moving his eyes back up to the king's face. If the messenger didn't know better, he would say that Hades looked almost _frightened. _Of what, though?

Without thinking of the consequences, Hermes stretched one arm out, moving until his fingers rested lightly on the back of Hades' hand. "Are you scared, My Lord?"

The words were dangerously soft and dark, and Hermes wondered at his ability to get himself into such perilous situations. He had completely lost sight of why he'd gotten involved with one of the most dangerous, powerful gods in existence, and what he'd hoped to gain from this.

He had known he was taking a risk by touching Hades, because honestly…most people were afraid to so much as utter his _name, _let alone invade his personal space. He hadn't, however, expected rage to flash into the older god's eyes.

* * *

Hades leapt out of his chair and took several swift steps backwards. His eyes screwed tightly shut. This _had _to stop. It _had _to!

It was the second time the brat had dared to put his hands near Hades, and the king was no longer frightened of how it made him feel.

He was _terrified. _

Long ago, Hades had decided to separate himself from the rest of the world. The world had chosen to banish him to Erebus, the dark netherworld, and he had chosen to cut his heart off from them. Having feelings was useless, particularly when one is forced to associate with the spirits of the dead—who are no longer able to feel—on a daily basis.

Most of his fellow gods were different in that regard. They let their emotions rule them, and their emotions put them in compromising situations time and time again. They let themselves care. They let themselves love, and feel _human_. How many times had his brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews fallen in love with others? How many times had their hearts been broken? Hades had lost count. Eventually, he'd stopped caring. It wasn't going to be him. He wouldn't let that happen.

"Don't touch me," he hissed, finally daring to open his eyes and meet the confused emerald gaze across from him.

"What…?"

"I said _don't!_"

Touching was human. Touching had the potential to tear down the thick walls Hades had built around his emotions.

Hermes stared at him through narrowed eyes, and Hades mentally cursed this young herald, who was known as the 'keen-eyed genius of the gods' for a reason. "You _are _scared."

His composure broke. Before Hades knew it, he was shouting. _"I'm so tired of this! I'm tired of being _manipulated, _and _lied to, _and being so _confused…_all because of _you! _What gives you the right to do this to me?! I _am _scared!" _

He didn't notice when Apollo, Ares, and Dionysus stopped whispering amongst themselves and turned around to watch with shocked expressions on their faces. His voice was growing hoarse from yelling, but he didn't care.

"I don't want to feel! I _don't! _That's not who I am. _This _is who I am! I've been alone for _centuries! _I never wanted to know _you_, or any of your moronic siblings, and I was perfectly happy forgetting that I ever knew my own brothers and sisters! I don't want _friends!_ _I don't want you!" _

His voice cracked, and he stopped to take deep breaths. His eyes lowered to stare at the ground, fixating on it, trying to still his pounding heart. Anger and fear were still rushing through his body.

The room was dead silent except for the bubbling pot on the stove. When Hades lifted his eyes several minutes later, he saw that Hermes was still gazing at him. "What?!" he attempted to snap, but much to his disgust, the word sounded choked.

"When I was just an infant, I learned something. Do you know what?"

"That it makes Apollo really angry when you steal his stuff?" Hades managed to sneer.

In the background, Apollo scowled. Hermes allowed a quick smile to flash across his face before his expression once again turned serious. "No. I learned that it's okay to feel. We _should _feel."

Hades snorted. "Messenger, even if I _was _inclined to learn this lesson, I don't think I would want you to be the one to teach me. You feel a little _too_ well, I fear. Are there any girls left in the world with whom you have not yet fathered a child?"

"That's not quite what I mean," Hermes said, not looking fazed by the disguised insult. In fact, he seemed slightly amused. "What I'm trying to say is that it isn't dangerous to feel. You don't have to make yourself ruthless and cruel in order to avoid being hurt. Having emotions isn't a direct recipe for that." He gestured to the pot behind him and grinned slightly. "C'mon…that's like saying that having potatoes means you automatically have to make potato soup."

"That makes absolutely no sense," Hades said dryly. "In the future, refrain from using food to make your point."

"It makes a little bit of sense," Hermes said cheekily. "And it got you back to being your normal, sarcastic, rude self. Which was kind of the whole point."

"I thought the point was to get me to _feel_." He sneered on the last word.

"Having emotions doesn't mean you have to stop being sarcastic and rude. I don't think I'd know what to do if you suddenly started being nice," Hermes said with a smirk. "Maybe you could start cooking me dinner…serenading me in the bath…massaging my feet…"

"I'd sooner profess my undying love for Cerberus."

"Why did you panic when I touched you?"

The question was so sudden and unexpected that all Hades could do was open his mouth and close it again. Eventually, he came to his senses. "I didn't _'panic',_" he snapped. "Mind your own business if you know what's good for you."

"As your friend—_and _as the person whose touch made you fly into some sort of crazed frenzy—I think it _is _my business."

"I—you haven't earned my friendship yet!" was the irritable response.

"Well, at least you aren't yelling about how you don't want friends, anymore. Progress, you know? But I still want to know. Please…tell me."

A pain had formed behind Hades' eyes. He gritted his teeth.

Then he woke up.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, really crappy place to leave off, but oh well. **

**Hope you enjoyed the Harry Potter reference. I don't know _why, _but I could just see Ares wearing something like that. _Yes, _"morsmordre" IS French, but, well, it basically means the same thing in Latin and I think Latin was around about 500 or 1000 years before French was first spoken (around the same time Ancient Greek was still being spoken, which is how the Hades in my story recognized the alphabet and words. ;) 'Cause I can do whatever the heck I want. So ha. **

**Hermes was wearing a chef's hat, by the way...couldn't think of a better way to describe it, since I don't think they had marshmallows in Ancient Greece. Not even sure if they had cauliflower, but I'm pretty sure it originated in the Mediterranean area. I don't know _when, _though. Oh well. :P I wasn't even going to begin trying to describe jeans and t-shirts from an ancient perspective. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed all the drama. It'll get better. **


End file.
